April 4, 2012
Charleston, S.C. – Junior left-hander Adam Westmoreland combined with relievers Tyler Webb and Nolan Belcher in a four-hit shutout and the 10th ranked Gamecocks belted out 13 hits on the way to a 7-0 victory over College of Charleston on Wednesday night at Patriots Point in Charleston, S.C. The Gamecocks are 21-8 on the year while the loss drops the Cougars to 21-9 for the season. It marked the second shutout of the year for South Carolina.
Westmoreland limited the College of Charleston to just two hits in 5.1 innings of work while walking one and striking out three. Webb followed him with 2.2 scoreless innings and just two hits allowed while walking one and striking out three as well. Belcher worked a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to close out the victory for the Gamecocks. College of Charleston starter Ryan West suffered the loss and is now 2-3 for the season. He allowed two runs on six hits in five innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
All nine position starters reached base at least once for Carolina with eight tallying at least one hit including Joey Pankake, who was 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Christian Walker, Brison Celek and Chase Vergason all had two hits apiece as well.
The Gamecocks broke ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning. Pankake reached base with a one-out double that dropped in between the shortstop and both the left fielder and center fielder. After a single from Walker and a walk to Celek loaded the bases, Pankake would score on LB Dantzler’s RBI groundout.
Walker increased the lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning with a two-out RBI single. After Pankake reached base with his second double of the game, Walker drilled a 0-1 pitch to extend Carolina’s advantage to two runs. South Carolina pushed it to 4-0 in the sixth inning against College of Charleston reliever Christian Powell. Brison Celek greeted Powell with a double off the wall in left field and after a wild pitch he would score on LB Dantzler’s RBI base hit. After Carolina loaded the bases, Dantzler would score on Chase Vergason’s RBI sacrifice fly to left field.
A single run in the seventh inning and two more runs in the eighth inning made it 7-0 for Carolina. Pankake’s third hit of the night was a solo home run to right field, his second homer of the year. Evan Marzilli doubled in a run in the eighth inning and scored on a wild pitch. He has now reached base in all 29 games this year.
South Carolina is back in SEC action this weekend hosting Tennessee at Carolina Stadium in a three-game series. First pitch for the series opener on Friday is set for 7 p.m. Saturday’s contest will start at 8 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPNU. The Sunday series finale is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. All three games can also be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College.
